


Six Ways To Quit Smoking

by gemnosha



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 1920's, Asthmatic Steve Rogers, Greaser, High-school au, M/M, Teddy Bear Bucky Barnes, this is really short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 18:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9397169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gemnosha/pseuds/gemnosha
Summary: Bucky Barnes is a boy, yes, but a boy with slick, greasy hair pulled to the back of his skull and an uncanny interest in Steve Rogers. But, Steve is asthmatic and every time Bucky gets too close the boy starts to cough up the universe because Bucky's lungs are filled with smoke.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is gay

**_Six Ways To Quit Smoking_ , **

**by Bucky Barnes.**

 

Brooklyn came down like a rocketing firework, bursting wide and vulnerable under the fragile touch of the sun. The streets came to a still, and the boys were wallowing in the alleys in their own cherry-flavored drool. Where the alcohol came from, no one knew. It was banned. Regardless, it happened and that was that. 

The morning school bells rang ominously through the corridors, and Bucky Barnes could hear it from the rooftop. He swathed a near empty cig box in an old cloth and tucked it back into a pot plant that stood awkwardly with the rest of the school's attempt of a sky garden. The cig in his mouth tasted of spit by now, the flame was feeble and the wrap was dank, loosening between his lips. Natheless, he pulled in a deep, painful breath and let the smoke corrupt his throat. When he was done, the cig was caught between his fingers and he blew out puffs of grey clouds with ease. The foul smell was swallowed by the sky. As it cleared Bucky looked onward, taking in the view below the high school rooftop and to his surprise, there was a boy, speedily making his way into the campus, books and pages stacked into every pocket and bag the boy could carry. There was a smile on Bucky's lips. 

Because a skinny mess of a boy like that could only be one person: Steve Rogers. 

He didn't really know Steve, not personally but he had had the tiniest crush on him. But by tiny he meant, the biggest thing he could possibly imagine. Luckily for him, Steve was in the occupation of loving boys. Bucky Barnes was a boy, _yes_ , but a boy with slick, greasy hair pulled to the back of his skull and an uncanny interest in Steve Rogers. But, Steve was asthmatic and every time Bucky got too close the boy started to cough up the universe because Bucky's lungs were filled with smoke. 

So, there was one thing to do. Bucky thought as he sucked in another deathly blow of smoke,  _I have to quit smoking._ He exhaled. Grey skies and tangy feelings. 

 

 **1.** Substitute death with sweets.

 

Quitting smoking wasn't as easy as advertisements made it seem and that was just the sad truth. The first thing Bucky did in the mornings these days was go and buy packets of lollipops because surely that would be better.  _I'd rather lose a few teeth than never kiss Steve Rogers._ Rationality was beyond him at this point. The clouds were remarkably **not** grey, and he couldn't tell if he liked how much the white tint of them made the day feel warmer.

It didn't matter. He found Steve around lunch breaks at the library most of the time, he would always be drawing in his sketch pad. There was once he stumbled in and Steve was rubbing away the curvy lines of a black widow spider. Bucky had thought it to be impressive but when he told Steve that, the boy responded with a snort and a grin, and successfully diverged from having to accept the compliment. 

_That's about the cutest thing I have ever seen._

 

 **2.** Keep complimenting cute boys. 

 

It was a late afternoon and most of the pupils were too discouraged to stay after school to help the teachers unpack the new equipment. Most, but not Steve Rogers. Bucky had wanted to go home, pop a lighter or a lollipop, he wasn't sure at this point what he preferred, but Steve wanted to stay and help. He didn't ask Bucky to stay, too. Bucky stayed out of his need to be around the damn boy all the time. 

He watched as he tried to reach one of the boxes at the very top of the thirteen boxes stack, his toes struggling to lift him any higher than he already was. Bucky reacted out of reflex and found himself holding his hands around Steve's waist and hauling him into the air. When Steve had the box in his grip and Bucky put him back down, there was nothing but deadly stares waiting for him.

"I can handle myself," He was told.

Bucky simply responded with, "I know. You are _very_   capable," and he didn't mean to lick his lips and let his eyes dilate over Steve. Regardless, it happened. Steve swallowed something. 

 

 **3.** Suck on things more to get attention. 

 

The thing was, Steve hadn't noticed that Bucky actively quit smoking to hang out with him more. It didn't even occur to him that out of the blue Bucky had been more present than he ever was before. It didn't occur to him because he hadn't really paid attention enough. He was always head first and elbow deep in his artwork. 

Which is why when he lifted his attention after Bucky had said something that required more focus than he had been offering before he finally realised how the grinning boy was sucking on lollipops. And frequently. He watched Bucky curl his tongue around the red sucker and press his stained lips over it. He watched until he wasn't sure what he was about to say. 

"What?" Bucky asked. 

"Uh," And he didn't have anything to say, so he improvised. "I want to draw you." 

 

 **4.** Compliment more than just cute boys. 

 

"Wow," Bucky's mouth twitched into a sharky smile as he scanned over Steve's drawing of him, he traced his finger over the detailed mouth and the lollipop that lodged between the lips, "This is real neat, Steve." He diverted his eyes to look at Steve who wasn't interested in compliments ever, not at all. His smile grew as the small boy blushed until his cheeks were palettes of peachy red. "You're amazing. It's amazing."

Steve caught his stare and held onto it. He wasn't sure if it was because his lips were sucker red, or because he was just... _whatever it was_... Steve's glance dropped to his lips.

For the first time, Steve said, "Thank you." 

 

 **5.** Stop staring. 

 

They were in the library again, it was becoming a thing, and Steve was drawing as usual. This time he was drawing Bucky's hands, and his blue eyes kept flitting with something Bucky couldn't recognize. Steve parted his lips to speak, his words were caught for a moment and Bucky nearly thought it was him struggling to breathe but then he said, "Your _staring_ is _distracting_." 

Bucky grinned, and said, "Sorry." He didn't move his eyes, though. He kept watching Steve and letting the boy move his fingers around and feel the insides of his palm because it felt _good_. 

_The closest we ever were to holdin' hands, Rogers._

**6.** Forget you ever were a smoker. 

 

Steve was still holding Bucky's hand, studying it with heavy eyes and moving the pencil in his other with careful consideration. Bucky was still staring. There wasn't a lollipop in sight, or a cigarette close enough to be tempted.

He closed his hand as Steve drew two fingers across his palm, studying, and the smallest bolt of electricity shot through the smaller boy. His blue eyes bulged as he came to eyeball Bucky, too. He asked, "Yes?"

And Bucky was grinning, "Go on a date with me, Steven Grant Rogers." And maybe Steve wanted to protest. Regardless, it happened.

The smile that laced over Steve as he enunciated the word ' _Okay'_   was as beautiful as the drawings Bucky had been complimenting for weeks.  

 

**Author's Note:**

> For [more](http://gemnosha.tumblr.com)


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